


raulbeixx

by TaeFansick



Category: Gravity Falls, Steven Universe (Cartoon)
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Depression, Hurt/Comfort, TikTok, raulbeixx
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-21
Updated: 2020-09-21
Packaged: 2021-03-08 02:27:12
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,302
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26578300
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TaeFansick/pseuds/TaeFansick
Summary: The creator that this title is named after posted a video that I felt was important to reference and share.A Mabel and Steven bonding fic. Mabel hears something that makes her reflect and she reaches out to Steven.Implied Steven x Ford x Stan but it's background.
Comments: 8
Kudos: 18





	raulbeixx

Mabel had been obsessed with spending her downtime on social media. Any time Dipper was too busy with Grunkle Ford. Anytime Grunkle Stan was invested in his weird period romance movies. Anytime Steven was too busy going back and forth in between helping at the Shack and visiting Little Homeschool. Anytime Grenda and Candy couldn’t visit. 

She hated the silence and sometimes Waddles just wanted to sleep, so she occupied her time by commenting a million bright emojis on her phone or just playing videos while she drew, having slowly gained better skills since last summer. 

Currently she was on TikTok, just letting video after video play when one in particular made her pause. A creator by the name of ‘raulbeixx’ had posted a sober video, unlike what she normally watched. 

“Stop yourself real quick. “

Mabel looked to her phone in curiosity, pausing in interest. It was just a young man sitting in a chair and talking into a mirror, going through some inner turmoil he clearly felt the need to share. 

“Now ask: that friend that’s always laughing...that friend that’s always smiling...the person that is always making you feel better…”

Mabel smiled a little, the first person coming to mind was Steven. He had been helping at the Shack for the last few months and she knew her Grunkles liked him. He had revealed he was half-alien and always used his abilities to make life easier for her Grunkles and more fun for her and Dipper. 

“When was the last time you checked up on them?”

Mabel frowned. Checked up on him? Never. 

“You didn’t? Okay. Okay. Why?”

Because Steven was always so happy and upbeat, of course! If the sun died, Steven could smile and light up the world! 

“Because you thought that they were happy!” 

Yes!

“I’m gunna tell you right now: They’re-They’re not happy.”

….What? Mabel scooted closer to her phone, holding it and hanging onto every word.

“They are so broken right now and you don’t even know.”

Steven was broken?

“Their main goal in life is to do nothing but make you smile and make you happy. And when it comes to talking about their own feelings, they don’t say anything. Because they don’t wanna ruin the fun. They don’t wanna ruin the time that everyone is having.   
So they just keep to themselves. 

And the thing is, they would rather die than bother anybody with their problems.   
And that’s exactly what happens. Because nobody ever asks if they’re okay. “

Mabel shut off her phone before the video could replay, tears gathered up in her eyes that she fought to blink away. Was that true? Was Steven sad and just not telling anyone? 

He did sometimes get quiet and stare off into nothing, like he was someplace far away. He had been saying he was just tired, bags sometimes showing under his eyes. Mabel even saw him simply ‘heal’ them away in a glitter effect of pink before going right back to work. And he’d been wandering away from the Shack more and more to be alone…

Mabel shoved her phone away, rushing down the stairs and looking all around for the hybrid, finding him sitting on the back porch alone. 

Steven perked at the sound of the door and offered a smile, but not before Mabel saw how miserable he had looked before her arrival. “Mabel! Are you looking for your brother? I think he’s still with Ford.” He was smiling and Mabel felt her heart break. 

_“I’m gunna tell you right now: They’re-They’re not happy.”_

Steven began to grow worried when she didn’t reply. He turned to face her better, bringing a leg back up on the porch. “Hey, is everything alright?” 

_“They are so broken right now and you don’t even know.”_

Mabel rushed over to him, crawling in his lap and burying her face in his chest. 

Concerned, Steven just held her, wondering what on earth happened. “Hey! It’s okay!” He ran soothing circles over her back, fear spiking when he felt her tremble and start crying. “D-did someone pick on you today? Some boy? Or Pacifica?” When he didn’t get a response, he racked his brain for anything else it could be. Mabel never got upset like this. “Did you and Dipper get into a fight?” 

_”They would rather die than bother anybody with their problems. And that’s exactly what happens._

Mabel choked on her words as she sobbed. “Steven, please don’t die!” 

The hybrid froze. “What? Mabel, I’m not dying-”

“Yes you are! Because you don’t talk to us! And you're sad and you don’t wanna say anything!” Mabel clung to him as tightly as she could, as if easing her grip would mean he’d disappear on one of his walks and never come back. She was filled with horrible ideas of maybe that was what Steven did everyday. Maybe he went on those ‘walks’ to think about how to not stay broken anymore. “We can make you happy! I promise we can! Don’t go!” 

“Mabel…” Steven sighed, simply holding her as she cried. She had such a big heart. She reminded him a lot of himself when he was little. 

Hours later, when she calmed down and woke in Steven’s arms, she explained herself. She showed Steven the video she saw and Steven set her down, comforting her and letting her know he cared about her and wasn’t planning on leaving. 

“Mabel, I appreciate how much you care. But you don’t have to worry about me being gone.” He wrung the washcloth he’d run under warm water and helped clean her face. “I plan on being around for a long time.” 

“...Even though you’re sad?” 

“Yep.” He figured there was no point denying it. It would just upset her more if he tried lying to her face. 

“Why are you sad?” 

“...A lot of things happened. Before I was born and as I grew up. And a lot was expected of me.” He crouched down to kneel by the bathtub where she was sitting. “So I started acting like I didn’t mind any of it because I had to be strong. And then everyone really believed I was so...I never let my guard down.” 

“But you can with us!” 

He smiled taking the rag and rinsing it before wringing it again. “I know. And I’m trying hard to remember that.” He went back to helping dab her eyes. “How about if I take you on my walks with me? Just the two of us.”

“...And Waddles?” 

“And Waddles.” Mabel gave a nod, hugging Steven again which he returned easily. “But no walks tonight. It’s late and just about everyone is in bed already.” 

“Don’t wanna walk upstairs,” she grumbled, tired from all of the emotional turmoil. 

Steven gave a laugh, picking her up and tossing the rag on the sink. He took her upstairs, lulling her to sleep by singing softly. 

_”I don’t need you to respect me, I respect me._

_I don’t need you to love me, I love me._

_But I want you to know you could know me,_

_If you change your mind~_

_If you change your mind~_

_If you change your mind~_

_Change your mind~”_

“Pretty,” Mabel mumbled, smiling softly and snuggling into her bed with Waddles as Steven tucked her in. 

“Something I wrote years ago. I can teach you to play it tomorrow if you like.” He brushed her hair from her face and moved to take Dipper’s notebook and pencil away that he fell asleep with, setting them aside and tucking him back in before leaving. “Goodnight.” 

“Night.” Mabel yawned. “Love you, Steven.” 

The hybrid paused shutting the door. “...Love you, too.” It was nice to finally say it, having grown so attached to the family since his arrival.


End file.
